1. Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets Blockbuster
In the days leading up to the NBA Trade Deadline, Brooklyn Nets head coach Steve Nash was putting on a brave front to the media. He tried deflecting questions about James Harden, saying he wanted to be a Net and no trade talks were ensuing. That didn’t turn out to be true, as the biggest trade of 2022 went down hours before the deadline.
Harden and Paul Millsap are on their way to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two first-round picks. This is a deal that should be beneficial to both sides.
Brooklyn got to see their Big 3 of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Harden for all of 16 games, but they may be better off after this deal. They got younger, improved defensively and restocked some of the draft capital they moved to acquire Harden in the first place. But, it is hard to imagine Brooklyn navigating the postseason with Irving only eligible part-time because he is still unvaccinated.
As for Philadelphia, Daryl Morey got his man in Harden. The 76ers have arguably the best duo in the NBA with Harden joining potential MVP Joel Embiid in the lineup. Not parting ways with any of their younger players, such as Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle, is also a huge win.
LATEST NBA NEWS & BUYOUT RUMORS: Key Takeaways From Wild NBA Trade Deadline Action
The 76ers are legitimate title contenders now with a loaded starting five and deep bench behind them. Expect them to be players on the buyout market to fill the holes on the team, as they could use another shooter and need a backup center now as well.
